Blackpool
§ This page gives an overview of the Blackpool local authority district, bringing together key facts, maps, and data to help you quickly understand the area. This is one of 361 LAD profiles on Baseview.
Overview ⁞ Blackpool is one of Britain’s most famous seaside resorts, located on the Lancashire coast along the Irish Sea. The town is iconic for Blackpool Tower, the Pleasure Beach amusement park, the Golden Mile, and the world-famous Illuminations. Its long sandy beach is backed by piers, arcades, and theatres, while the trams along the promenade add to its character. Beyond the seafront, Blackpool Zoo and Stanley Park provide leisure and green spaces. The resort atmosphere, entertainment venues, and sweeping coastline define Blackpool’s identity.
What County is Blackpool in?
Blackpool is in the ceremonial county of Lancashire, in North West England. In day-to-day terms, that means Blackpool is part of Lancashire for official county purposes (such as lieutenancy and many “county” references), even though Blackpool is governed locally by Blackpool Council as a unitary authority.
Historically, Blackpool has long been associated with Lancashire, and you’ll still see it described as “Blackpool, Lancashire” in many contexts. So if you’re asking “what county is Blackpool in?”, the clear answer is Lancashire—with the extra note that Blackpool runs its own local council services separately from Lancashire County Council.
Blackpool Boundary Map
This map shows the official boundary of the Blackpool local authority district, based on the latest geographic data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It provides a clear view of the district’s extent and helps you understand how the area fits within the wider regional and national landscape.
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The administrative boundary of Blackpool can also be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Blackpool.
Key Facts about Blackpool
What region is Blackpool in? Blackpool is in the North West of England, a region within the UK.
What county is Blackpool in? Blackpool is in the county of Lancashire.
Is Blackpool a city? No, Blackpool is not a city. (Note: the UK has 76 officially designated cities.)
Who governs Blackpool? The local government for this district is: Blackpool Council (Unitary Authority).
▶ Official website of Blackpool Council 🔗 blackpool.gov.uk
Which police force covers Blackpool? Policing in Blackpool is provided by Lancashire Constabulary 🔗 lancashire.police.uk, which serves 14 local authority districts: Blackburn with Darwen ⁞ Blackpool ⁞ Burnley ⁞ Chorley ⁞ Fylde ⁞ Hyndburn ⁞ Lancaster ⁞ Pendle ⁞ Preston ⁞ Ribble Valley ⁞ Rossendale ⁞ South Ribble ⁞ West Lancashire ⁞ Wyre.
Blackpool in International Geographies
In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, Blackpool is an ITLs Level 3 area:
- (ITL 1) North West
- (ITL 2) ⇒ Lancashire
- (ITL 3) ⇒⇒ Blackpool
The International Territorial Levels are used by OECD member countries for statistical purposes to classify administrative areas. We have this listable page for easy browsing of ITL names and codes: International Territorial Levels.
Constituencies in Blackpool
Blackpool is divided into 2 parliamentary constituencies, listed below in alphabetical order.
A constituency is a specific geographical area that elects one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons. The United Kingdom is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK parliamentary constituencies: List of Constituencies.
Wards in Blackpool
Blackpool is divided into 21 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Anchorsholme
- Bispham
- Bloomfield
- Brunswick
- Claremont
- Clifton
- Greenlands
- Hawes Side
- Highfield
- Ingthorpe
- Layton
- Marton
- Norbreck
- Park
- Squires Gate
- Stanley
- Talbot
- Tyldesley
- Victoria
- Warbreck
- Waterloo
In the UK, a ward is a subdivision of a local authority area, used mainly for electoral and statistical purposes. Defined by the ONS, wards represent the primary unit for local elections, each returning one or more councillors to the local council. Wards are also used as a key geography for presenting population and census data. We have this list page for easy browsing of all electoral wards: List of all Electoral Wards in the UK.
Parishes in Blackpool
Blackpool is entirely unparished—there are no civil parishes in this local authority district.
Parishes are the lowest tier of local government; where they don’t exist, those very local services and representation sit directly with the principal council. We have this list page for easy browsing of all parishes: List of Civil Parishes in England and Wales.
Post Towns in Blackpool
Below is a list of post towns in Blackpool, grouped by postcode area:
FY ▸ Blackpool (FY0 / FY1 / FY2 / FY3 / FY4)
The UK postal hierarchy begins with broad postcode areas (such as “CB” or “M”), which are divided into smaller postcode districts (such as “CB8” or “M1”) to support accurate mail routing. Each postal address is anchored by a designated post town, the official locality name used in the UK postcode system, which operates independently from Local Authority Districts —the administrative boundaries used for council tax and local government services. Because they serve different purposes, a property’s postal address and its local authority district do not always align exactly.
Built-up Areas in Blackpool
Blackpool covers 4 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Blackpool *
- Carleton *
- Cleveleys *
- Staining *
In the UK, a Built-up Area (BUA) is a continuous urban area of at least 20 hectares (0.2 km²), defined by the ONS as land where buildings are generally no more than 200 metres apart, such as towns, cities, or large villages. (Note: A BUA name marked with an asterisk (*) indicates that the area is situated partly in the district of Blackpool.)
We have this list page for easy browsing of all built-up areas: List of all Built-up Areas in GB.
Railway Stations in Blackpool
Blackpool is served by a number of National Rail stations, providing rail connections to nearby towns, cities, and destinations across Great Britain. The railway stations listed below are located within the Blackpool Local Authority District and are grouped by train operating company for clarity.
- Northern Trains ▸ Blackpool North (FY1 2AB) ⁞ Blackpool Pleasure Beach (FY4 1NY) ⁞ Blackpool South (FY4 2FA) ⁞ Layton (Lancs) (FY2 0SX)
This is a district-level view only. For a complete list of all National Rail stations across Great Britain, see the UK National Rail Stations Directory.
Blackpool compared with other districts in the UK
This section shows how Blackpool compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.
Blackpool has 21 electoral wards.
Blackpool has a population of 144,191 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)
Population and Migration Trends in Blackpool
This chart shows the population trend for Blackpool from 2015 to 2024. It provides a quick overview of whether the local authority is growing, stable, or declining over time, and helps set context for the migration patterns shown below.
Population change is influenced by natural change (births minus deaths) and migration. The net migration chart below focuses on migration, separating internal migration (moves within the UK) from international migration (moves to and from abroad). Positive values indicate net inflows, while negative values indicate net outflows. The rate labels (per 1,000 residents) help compare migration intensity across years, even when the population size changes.
More local statistics and data for Blackpool can be found on the ONS statistics for Blackpool.